1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hand tools and more particularly is directed towards a tool for cutting carpets, pads and the like in a straight, even strip around the border thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Professional carpet installers frequently are called upon to install wall-to-wall carpeting over a previously installed older carpet which may have been cemented to the floor as is often done to rubber-back carpets. Such cemented carpets are extremely difficult to remove completely and it is, therefore, a common practice to leave the older carpet in place and use it as a pad for a new carpet installed directly over the old carpet. When carrying out this type of installation, it is necessary to cut away a border strip around the edge of the old carpet in order to allow room to install wooden tack strips along the baseboard. Such tack strips usually are on the order of an inch or so in width and are nailed or otherwise attached directly to the floor and are provided with a plurality of tacks or barbs along their upper surfaces to grip the edge of the new carpet and hold it tightly in place. Prior to installing the wooden tack strip, the border of the old carpet is cut back about 2 in. all around the old carpet. Heretofore, this cutting operation has been done with a common utility knife. In practice, it is extremely difficult for a person to make a straight cut, particularly over a long stretch, and carpet installers may have to make two or more passes around the room before a reasonably straight cut of a proper width is made. Even then the cut may be irregular with the result that the overlaying carpet may not be fully supported throughout and may show a certain amount of unevenness around the edge.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved carpet-cutting tool adapted to make a straight line cut of a carpet, pad or the like, in a strip of uniform width in one pass. Another object of this invention is to provide a carpet-cutting tool which is adjustable to make cuts of different widths and depths in accordance with the type of carpeting installed and the width of the tack strip to be laid.